Shimizu wins WBA 115lb belt

Slick-punching Japanese speedster Tomonobu Shimizu (19-3-1, 9 KOs), 115, captured the WBA super-flyweight belt as he utilized his faster footwork and longer reach to dominate early and late rounds, though losing middle rounds, to eke out a split but popular decision (115-113 twice and 114-116) over defending champ Hugo Cazares (35-7-2, 25 KOs), 115, a switch-hitting Mexican, over twelve hard-fought and gory sessions on Wednesday in Tokyo, Japan.